Low friction sole pad for ski bindings

ABSTRACT

A safety device for use with a laterally releasable ski binding toe piece. The device comprises a low friction pad that is mounted on the ski under the ball of the foot, This pad is adapted to insure substantially free movement between the ski boot and ski so that when the binding is supposed to release in response to a pre-determined force, such release will not be prevented by excess friction between the boot and ski. The low friction pad includes a flexible band engaged by the sole of the boot, the band being supported for unrestricted transverse movement relative to the ski and having novel lubricant carrying means.

Lipe

Nov. 5, 1974 Inventor:

LOW FRICTION SOLE PAD FOR SKI BINDINGS Gordon C. Lipe, West Lake Rd., Skaneateles, NY. 13152 Filed: Nov. 13, 1972 Appl. No.: 305,836

US. Cl. 280/ll.35 C, 184/15 R, 305/14, 308/240 Int. Cl A63c 9/08 Field of Search..... 280/11.35 C, 11.1 ET, 5.22, 280/28.5; 305/14, 35 EB, 16; 184/15 R; 74/231 R; 308/240 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS mun-um 3,743,310 7/1973 Smo1ka 280/11.35 C

Primary Examiner-David Schonberg Assistant Examiner-Milton L. Smith Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Fulwider, Patton. Rieber, Lee & Utecht ABSTRACT A safety device for use with a laterally releasable ski binding toe piece. The device comprises a low friction pad that is mounted on the ski under the ball of the foot, This pad is adapted to insure substantially free movement between the ski boot and ski so that when the binding is supposed to release in response to a predetermined force, such release will not be prevented by excess friction between the boot and ski. The low friction pad includes a flexible band engaged by the sole of the boot, the band being supported for unrestricted transverse movement relative to the ski and having novel lubricant carrying means.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED "UV 5 I974 LOW FRICTION SOLE PAD FOR SKI BINDINGS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to ski fasteners in class 280-l I35, and has particular reference to a low friction sole pad for use with a laterally releasable ski binding toe piece.

It has been found that ski bindings, and in particular binding toe pieces, even though properly adjusted, frequently fail to release properly because of excess friction between the ski boot and ski. The excess friction may be caused by foreign matter such as dirt, sand or ice, or it may be due to the fact that the skier has his body well forward with most of his weight on the balls of his feet. In either case, if the excess friction prevents the binding from releasing in response to a predetermined safe force, serious injury to the skier may result.

Various solutions have been proposed for the excess friction problem. A very workable solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat No. 3,448,990 granted June 10, 1969 to M. H. Cubberly and the applicant herein. This patent discloses antifriction devices comprising two superposed and interconnected sheet members, the lower one which is secured to the ski and the upper one of which is engaged by the ski boot. The upper member is made of flexible material and is slidable relative to the lower member with suitable lubricant means being provided between the members. While these devices work as intended, difficulty has occasionally been encountered with rupturing at the juncture of the members when too much strain is placed on the upper one.

Another solution to the excess friction problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,5] 1,5 l6 granted May 12, 1970 to T. G. Smolka et al. The Smolka patent discloses antifriction devices in the form of relatively movable upper and lower plates separated by ball or roller bearings. Apart from the expense of these devices, a circular one is shown which will not operate as intended if the principal line of transverse force required to release the binding passes through or close to the center of the device. In other forms of the Smolka device, the upper plate is movable laterally with respect to the lower plate but comes to a stop in an extreme lateral position. This is a disadvantage in that the amount of movement permitted may not be enough to enable a complete release and also because the upper plate must always be returned to neutral position before the device can function again.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a low friction sole pad that is particularly adapted for, but not restricted to, use with a laterally releasable ski binding toe piece.

band relative to the ski, there being no limitation as to the amount of movement permitted and no requirement for a return of the band to a neutral or center position. To insure reliable operation of the band under all conditions of use, there must be lubrication between the band and support member and to this end the surface of the band in engagement with the member-is formed with a plurality of shallow lubricant receiving recesses in which is carried a special temperatureindependent lubricant which retains its desirable lubricating properties over a wide range of temperatures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a ski on which is mounted a binding and a low friction sole pad embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the sole pad support member;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the sole pad of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the pad of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end elevation of the pad of FIG. 3 with the endless band removed;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the endless band; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 77 of FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Having reference now to FIG. 1, 10 indicates a ski on which a binding is mounted, the binding comprising a toe piece 12 and heel piece 14 that coact to releasably secure the skiers boot to the ski. Toe piece 12 is of a known type and can be adjusted so that the front part of the boot, indicated by dash line 16, can move laterally with respect to the ski in response to a predetermined force. The lateral movement can be in either direction as shown by the arrows l8 and permits the boot to be released from the binding before a possibly serious injury to the skier occurs.

In order to insure that there is substantially free movement between the ski boot. and ski, and that a proper release is not prevented by excess friction as described above, a low friction sole pad 20 is mounted on each ski so that it is positioned under the ball of the skiers foot. Each sole pad 20 includes a bridge-like support member 22 and a flexible, endless band or belt 24 mounted on the support member. Member 22 is a rectangular metal or plastic plate that is mounted on the ski with its long axis perpendicular to the long axis of the ski as shown in FIG. 1.

The bottom 26 of support member 22 has a central, longitudinally extending channel28 whereby the member has a central span 30 that is spaced above the upper surface of the ski when the member is mounted thereon, see FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. Member 22 is formed with a recess 32 at each end coextensive with the span 30, and the upperv and lower edges of the recessed span are rounded as best shown in FIG. 7. The endless band 24 is carried by the span 30 with the side edges of the channel 28 cooperating with the end recesses 32 to keep the band in centered position on the support member as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Support member 22 is secured to the ski by suitable adhesive means (not shown) or, in the alternative, it can be secured with two or more screws 34 as shown in FIG. I. The thickness of band 24 is less than the depth of bottom channel 28 so that when the band is mounted on the support member its lowerreach is spaced from the ski as indicated in FIG. 4. The band is thus free to move endlessly in either direction around the span portion of the support. Since the skiers boot engagesthe upper reach of the band, it too is free to move laterally relative to the ski upon being released by the toe piece 12.

For the sole pad to operate in the intended manner, lubrication is required between the band 24 and support member 22. To this end, and in accord withthe invention, the band, which is preferably made of a suitable rubber composition, is provided in its inner, span engaging surface with a plurality of lubricant receiving recesses 36, FIG. 6. The recesses are obtained by forming the inside of the band with a waffle-like surface, and

they are filled with a lubricant, such as a silicone lubricant, that is relatively impervious to cold temperatures; that is, it functions substantially independently of temperature. With this arrangement, a film of lubricant forms between the band and support member span 30 and this film will normally last for a long time without the need for additional lubrication. If desired, the support member can also be provided with lubricant recesses 38, FIG. 2, but the most effective lubrication is achieved by means of the large number of small lubricant carrying recesses 36 in the band.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the invention provides a novel and very desirable ski safety device. As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof.

I claim:

1. An anti-friction device for use with a releasable ski binding mounted on a ski having a running surface and an upper surface, comprising:

a support member adapted to be mounted on the upper surface of the ski adjacent the binding and having an engagement surface;

an endless band mounted on said support member for unrestricted transverse movement relative to the ski and having an inside surface with a portion thereof always confronting said engagement surface of said support member,

said band being of a flexible and deformable material and having on its inside surface a high density of shallow lubricant-receiving recesses with cumulative volume when the band is undeformed at least sufficient to provide a substantially continuous layer of lubricant between said band and said engagement surface, and

said band having an undeformed state when minimal force is applied to urge said band into contact with said surface wherein said cumulative volume is maximum and having a deformed state when greater force is so applied wherein said band is deformed and said cumulative volume of said recesses is reduced; and

a lubricant carried in said recesses for providing said layer of lubricant between said band and said engagement surface, said lubricant being expelled from said recesses to provide said layer of lubricant when forces are applied to place said band in said deformed state and being drawn back into said recesses when said forces are reduced.

2. An anti-friction device as recited in claim 1, wherein said inside surface of said band has a wafflelike configuration with ridges that contact said engagement surface and define said recesses.

3. An anti-friction device as recited in claim 2, wherein the cumulative area of said ridges at the plane of contact with said engagement surface when said band is in said undeformed state is less than fifty percent of the area of the portion of said band confronting said engagement surface. 

1. An anti-friction device for use with a releasable ski binding mounted on a ski having a running surface and an upper surface, comprising: a support member adapted to be mounted on the upper surface of the ski adjacent the binding and having an engagement surface; an endless band mounted on said support member for unrestricted transverse movement relative to the ski and having an inside surface with a portion thereof always confronting said engagement surface of said support member, said band being of a flexible and deformable material and having on its inside surface a high density of shallow lubricant-receiving recesses with cumulative volume when the band is undeformed at least sufficient to provide a substantially continuous layer of lubricant between said band and said engagement surface, and said band having an undeformed state when minimal force is applied to urge said band into contact with said surface wherein said cumulative volume is maximum and having a deformed state when greater force is so applied wherein said band is deformed and said cumulative volume of said recesses is reduced; and a lubricant carried in said recesses for providing said layer of lubricant between said band and said engagement surface, said lubricant being expelled from said recesses to provide said layer of lubricant when forces are applied to place said band in said deformed state and being drawn back into said recesses when said forces are reduced.
 2. An anti-friction device as recited in claim 1, wherein said inside surface of said band has a waffle-like configuration with ridges that contact said engagement surface and define said recesses.
 3. An anti-friction device as recited in claim 2, wherein the cumulative area of said ridges at the plane of contact with said engagement surface when said band is in said undeformed state is less than fifty percent of the area of the portion of said band confronting said engagement surface. 